Court to Hear 2 Days of Arguments on Gay Marriage

The Supreme Court says it will hear two days’ worth of arguments over laws affecting gay marriage during the last week of March.

Justices on Monday announced they will hear arguments in Hollingsworth v. Perry on March 26 and United States v. Windsor on March 27.

The first case involves California’s constitutional amendment that forbids same-sex marriage. The second concerns a federal law that denies gay couples who legally marry the right to obtain federal benefits available to heterosexual married couples. The court scheduled one hour’s worth of arguments on each day. Justices can still extend the amount of time given to arguments in each case, however.

Nine states - Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Washington- and the District of Columbia allow gay marriage.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Comments

russell cluff, 2013-01-07 15:37:09

I think the Italian prime minister said it perfectly "issues involving personal dignity are more important then economic reforms." As long as we are treated as second class citizens in a country founded on freedom from religious persecution there will be nothing closer to the truth in that statement. The greatest thing about this man is he’s backed by the Vatican. If he can step back take his personal thoughts out of the way he takes care of his people why can’t we?

Anonymous, 2013-01-07 20:34:09

Thats why i <3 New Yor

Anonymous, 2013-01-08 01:39:07

I think it’s very easy as an outsider to comment. But for us, who live this in a Dayton day basis it really takes a toll on our personal believes because ironically when we were born GOD Did not discriminate us. We were all angels of GOD. But now we let to the world who we are. we have been discriminated by people GOD created. As a Roman CATHOLIC I pray to my GOD the one who created me. Till I die I willNOT SET FOOT TO A CATHOLIC CHURCH ANYMORE. it is very sad and make me tear up but. But that just how it is.

The world will not end on Dec. 21, 2012, but for gay families it could get more complicated, or way better, when the Supreme Court hears two landmark cases. How will the justices’ previous rulings & personal beliefs influence the decisions?

The Supreme Court will take up California’s ban on same-sex marriage, a case that could give the justices the chance to rule on whether gay Americans have the same constitutional right to marry as heterosexuals.

Forty gay couples in South Dakota applied to be married during the first month following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized such unions across the country, according to data provided by the state Department of Health.